1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is generally directed to abrasive particulate material, abrasive products incorporating abrasive particulate material, and methods for machining workpieces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Abrasive products are generally contain or formed from abrasive particulate material. Such abrasive particulate material can be used as a free abrasive, such as in the form of a slurry, or a fixed abrasive, typically either a coated abrasive or a bonded abrasive article. Abrasive products are used in various industries to machine workpieces, such as by lapping, grinding, or polishing. Machining utilizing abrasive articles spans a wide industrial scope from optics industries, automotive paint repair industries, dental applications, to metal fabrication industries. Machining, such as by hand or with use of commonly available tools such as orbital polishers (both random and fixed axis), and belt and vibratory sanders, is also commonly done by consumers in household applications. In each of these examples, abrasives are used to remove bulk material and/or affect surface characteristics of products (e.g., planarity, surface roughness).
Surface characteristics include shine, texture, and uniformity. For example, manufacturers of metal components use abrasive articles to fine polish surfaces, and oftentimes desire a uniformly smooth surface. Similarly, optics manufacturers desire abrasive articles that produce defect free surfaces to prevent light diffraction and scattering. Hence, the abrasive surface of the abrasive article generally influences surface quality.
Abrasive particle formation, such as through chemical synthesis routes or through bulk material processing routes (e.g., fusion and commination), is considered a fairly well developed and mature art area. Accordingly, notable developmental resources have been dedicated to development of macrostructures, such as development of engineered abrasives products within the context of coated abrasives and particular three-dimensional structures and formulations in the context of bonded abrasives. Despite continued developments, a need continues to exist in the art for improved particulate material.
Particulate materials include essentially single phase inorganic materials, such as alumina, silicon carbide, silica, ceria, and harder, high performance superabrasive grains such as cubic boron nitride and diamond. Enhanced and even more sophisticated abrasive properties have been achieved through development of composite particulate materials. Such materials include formation of aggregates, which can be formed through slurry processing pathways that include removal of the liquid carrier through volatilization or evaporation, leaving behind green agglomerates, followed by high temperature treatment (i.e., firing) to form usable, fired agglomerates.
Such composite agglomerates have found commercial use in various abrasive product deployments. However, the industry continues to demand even further improved particulate materials, and particularly composite aggregates that may offer enhanced machining performance.